All fired up

With 44 trails open so far and plenty more on the way for this weekend, there are lots of Happy Places to be found. Mother Nature has been delivering up some incredible snowmaking temps and (fingers crossed) she’ll deliver the goods fo’sho with a 6″ plus storm Saturday night. The conditions have been absolutely incredible and they’re only going to get better. But… There seems to be something missing.

I’m not going to lie. The snow has been mind-blowing-ly amazing. I can’t recall a better start to the winter here at Sunday River. And it isn’t even Winterfest yet? #bonuspoints.

There is one little – err, not-so-little trail missing from the count. It never really feels like we’re in full on winter-mode until one particular rope drops. Luckily for me (right, and you too), there is a possibility we could get the go-ahead from Patrol this weekend on the one and only White Heat.

Yup. You read that correctly. White Heat. The longest steepest widest lift-serviced expert trail in the East. It’s an iconic monument of Sunday River’s history and a conquer often sought after by locals and visitor’s alike. I remember my first ascent down the Heat back in 1993; a sunny-kissed March morning where the bumps on the old Bust ‘n’ Burn hill softened up enough to keep me going for not just one, but eight runs.

While driving along the access road to the mountain this morning, that memory filled my heart as I drove around the corner where White Heat comes into view. There it was, lit up in the rising sun, and I instantly went back to that March day when I skied White Heat for the very first time. Wait… Is it? Yes, yes it is. That was a Happy Place.